In general, a computer executing an application may terminate the application unless the computer senses a timeout period restart event, such as a keystroke, a mouse button click, pointer motion, touch screen activation, message receipt, ping signal receipt, or a like input. Reasons for terminating applications based on the absence of a timeout period restart event include conservation of RAM cache and memory, power and other computer resources,
In a communications network with a client/connected computer architecture, communication between a client and a connected computer occurs in sessions, each of which is generally given a unique session identifier (SID). Each session may be associated with a unique client identifier or address (e.g., an Internet protocol address). During a session, the connected computer may receive from the client multiple service requests, each of which may relate to a number of applications. Applications, particularly those that utilize a large amount of connected computer or network resources (e.g., those that are memory-intensive), may have a timeout feature that terminates the application in a session if an application event is not sensed or a response to an information request is not received within a specified period of time.
Where a session includes multiple applications, a user operating on a client terminal may not respond to an information request or cause an application event because the application has been moved to the background of the client terminal and the user is actively working with a second application in the client terminal foreground. It is often undesirable to have the first application timeout in such situations.
Moreover, some applications prompt the user for a specified input prior to timing out the application. For example, applications that bill the user based on usage time often cause the client terminal to display a window asking the user if the user wants to maintain the application connection. The window may include an icon that may be activated to cause the terminal to send the application a message sufficient to avoid application timeout. Otherwise, application timeout proceeds as scheduled.